1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copy board apparatus having a board for writing information such as letters and figures thereon and a copier capable of copying the information written on the board.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known copy board apparatus can be broadly classified into two types: namely, a first type in which the information written on the board is projected onto an image sensor such as a CCD so as to be digitized and then output by a printer such as a thermal printer, and a second type in which the information written on the board is copied by an electrophotographic copying machine, as is the case of the copy board apparatus to which the present invention pertains.
The copy board apparatus of the first type mentioned above is advantageous in that, since the information written on the board is digitized, it can be processed and edited in various ways and, if necessary, transmitted to a distal station through suitable telecommunication means. Although various output methods are usable in combination with this type of apparatus, a thermal printer is used most commonly as the output means because of its moderate cost. The thermal printer, however, requires use of so-called heat-sensitive paper which has undergone special treatment so as to generate color in response to heat. The heat-sensitive paper, however, is expensive as compared with ordinary paper and is not suitable for writing on with a pencil or similar writing instrument. In addition, heat-sensitive paper is rather difficult to handle because of lack of stiffness.
On the other hand, the copy board apparatus of the second type is basically constituted, as shown in FIG. 1, by a board section a, an electrophotographic copier section b and a base c for the copier. In operation, a sheet material is scrolled so as to move along the board surface and the information written on the sheet is illuminated and an image of the information is projected on the copier b under the board so that it is copied by the copier. The copy board apparatus of this type is advantageous in that it permits the information on the copy board to be copied on ordinary paper sheets. In addition, the copier section can be used as a copier, independently of the board section a.
In order that the advantages of this type of copy board apparatus be fully enjoyed, it is essential that the copier is placed under the board. This arrangement, however, is inconvenient when the copier section is used independently as a copier, because there is no clearance between the copier section and the board section which would enable the cover on the original sheet carrier of the copier to be fully opened. When the copier section is used as a copier, therefore, it is necessary to move the copier section to a suitable place where the cover of the original sheet carrier of the copier can be fully opened. It is quite troublesome to move the copier section away from the board section each time a copying operation takes place, considering that the copying of documents and distribution of the same are frequently required during meetings or conferences.